NEXRAD, Triple Doppler Radar, a weather dog — it seems like TV meteorologists are always bragging about their newest gadgets and toys.
Well, I got to see something today that none of them have access to yet, phased-array radar. It’s a technology the Navy has employed for a couple of decades to scan the skies for approaching planes and missiles. Using thousands of microwave beams controlled by computer, the new radar scans the sky much more rapidly.
How fast? NEXRAD takes about 5 minutes to make a complete survey of the sky. Phased-array radar takes 15 seconds. In other words, the radar updates the view of a storm, its winds, and its rainfall several times a minute. That’s incredibly valuable when you’re trying to identify potential tornadoes. Instead of the approximately 11 minute lead time now, scientists say they could offer residents as much as 20 minutes of advance warning.
Like NEXRAD, phased-array radar incorporates Doppler technology, which allows meteorologists to gauge wind speeds. The new technology can also simultaneously track airplanes, making it a valuable one-two punch for airports.
The National Severe Storms Laboratory here got a single array to play with a year or so ago, and scientists have been testing the technology and writing software to adapt it to forecasting. So far, so good, they say. The scans they showed us today were impressive, indeed, with their resolution.
Some National Weather Service offices could have the new radars, which now cost millions of dollars, within five years. Expect your local meteorologists to begin hollering about phased array radar within the decade. Despite what they say, it won’t be the greatest thing since sliced bread. But it’s still pretty cool…